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Population growth rate: 2.34% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 30.4 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 5.63 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.09 male(s)/female 65 years and over : 0.9 male(s)/female total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 33 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population : 69.09 years male: 66.7 years female : 71.6 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.82 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun: Western Samoan(s) adjective: Western Samoan
Ethnic groups: Samoan 92.6%, Euronesians 7% (persons of European and Polynesian blood), Europeans 0.4%
Religions: Christian 99.7% (about one-half of population associated with the London Missionary Society; includes Congregational, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Latter-Day Saints, Seventh-Day Adventist)
Languages: Samoan (Polynesian), English
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population : 97% male: 97% female: 97% (1971 est.)
@Western Samoa:Government
Country name: conventional long form: Independent State of Western Samoa conventional short form: Western Samoa
Data code: WS
Government type: constitutional monarchy under native chief
National capital: Apia
Administrative divisions: 11 districts; A'ana, Aiga-i-le-Tai, Atua, Fa'asaleleaga, Gaga'emauga, Gagaifomauga, Palauli, Satupa'itea, Tuamasaga, Va'a-o-Fonoti, Vaisigano
Independence: 1 January 1962 (from New Zealand-administered UN trusteeship)
National holiday: National Day, 1 June (1962)
Constitution: 1 January 1962
Legal system: based on English common law and local customs; judicial review of legislative acts with respect to fundamental rights of the citizen; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state : Chief Susuga MALIETOA Tanumafili II (cochief of state from 1 January 1962 until becoming sole chief of state 5 April 1963) head of government: Prime Minister TOFILAU Eti Alesana (since 7 April 1988); Deputy Prime Minister TUILA'EPA Sailele Malielegaoi (since NA 1992) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the chief of state with the prime minister's advice elections : upon the death of Chief Susuga MALIETOA Tanumafili II, a new chief of state will be elected by the Legislative Assembly to serve a five-year term; prime minister appointed by the chief of state with the approval of the Legislative Assembly
Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fono (49 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 26 April 1996 (next to be held 26 April 2001) election results : percent of vote by party - HRPP 45.17%, SNDP 27.1%, independents 23.7%; seats by party - HRPP 25, SNDP 13, independents 11
Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Court of Appeal
Political parties and leaders: Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP), TOFILAU Eti Alesana, chairman; Samoan National Development Party (SNDP), TAPUA Tamasese Efi, chairman; Samoan Progressive Conservative Party, LEOTA Ituau Ale; Samoa All People's Party (SAPP), Matatumua MAIMOAGA
International organization participation: ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), IOC, ITU, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Tuiloma Neroni SLADE chancery: 820 Second Avenue, Suite 800D, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 599-6196, 6197 FAX : [1] (212) 599-0797
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Josiah Horton BEEMAN (Ambassador to New Zealand and Western Samoa, resides in Wellington, New Zealand) embassy: 5th floor, Beach Road, Apia mailing address: P.O. Box 3430, Apia telephone : [685] 21631 FAX: [685] 22030
Flag description: red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side quadrant bearing five white five-pointed stars representing the Southern Cross constellation
Economy
Economy - overview: The economy of Western Samoa has traditionally been dependent on development aid, private family remittances from overseas, and agricultural exports. Increasingly, tourism is becoming a significant source of revenue, earning approximately $34 million in 1995. While registering an overall economic improvement in 1995, however, the country continues to struggle with a series of natural disasters from the early 1990s which wiped out the nation's infrastructure as well as its then-major export crop, taro root. Agriculture continues to be a key source of wealth for Apia, employing more than one-half of the labor force, and furnishing 90% of exports. The bulk of these export earnings comes from the sale of coconut cream, coconut oil, and copra. Family remittances also play a key role in economic viability for the island nation - in 1995, remittances totaled $34.9 million, four times export earnings. The economy did well in 1996, supported by a steady flow of foreign aid and remittances.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $415 million (1995 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 6.7% (1995 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,900 (1995 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 50% industry: NA% services: NA%
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 1% (1995)
Labor force: total: 45,635 (1986 est.) by occupation : agriculture 65%, services 30%, industry 5% (1995 est.)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $118 million expenditures : $128 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY96/97)
Industries: timber, tourism, food processing, fishing
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - capacity: 29,000 kW (1990)
Electricity - production: 60 million kWh (1994)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 287 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture - products: coconuts, bananas, taro, yams
Exports: total value: $8.7 million (f.o.b., 1995) commodities : coconut oil and cream, taro, copra, cocoa partners: New Zealand 44%, Australia 22%, American Samoa, Germany
Imports: total value: $91 million (c.i.f., 1995) commodities: intermediate goods 58%, food 17%, capital goods 12% partners : New Zealand 37%, Australia 21%, US/American Samoa 13%
Debt - external: $178.3 million (1995 est.)
Economic aid: recipient: ODA; $8.7 million bilateral aid from Australia (FY96/97 est.); $5 million bilateral aid from NZ (FY95/96)
Currency: 1 tala (WS$) = 100 sene
Exchange rates: tala (WS$) per US$1 - 2.4570 (January 1997), 2.4618 (1996), 2.4722 (1995), 2.5349 (1994), 2.5681 (1993), 2.4655 (1992)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Western Samoa:Communications
Telephones: 7,500 (1988 est.)
Telephone system: domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0
Radios: 76,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 0
Televisions: 6,000 (1992 est.)
@Western Samoa:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total : 2,030 km paved: 373 km unpaved: 1,657 km (1988 est.)
Ports and harbors: Apia, Asau, Mulifanua, Salelologa
Merchant marine: total : 1 roll-on/roll-off cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,838 GRT/5,536 DWT (1996 est.)
Airports: 3 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total : 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: no regular armed services; Western Samoa Police Force
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: NA
Military manpower - fit for military service: males : NA
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
WORLD [Map of World]
@World:Geography
Map references: World, Time Zones
Area: total: 510.072 million sq km land: 148.94 million sq km water: 361.132 million sq km note : 70.8% of the world's surface is water, 29.2% is land
Area - comparative: land area about 15 times the size of the US
Land boundaries: the land boundaries in the world total 251,480.24 km (not counting shared boundaries twice)
Coastline: 356,000 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm claimed by most but can vary continental shelf: 200-m depth claimed by most or to depth of exploitation, others claim 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive fishing zone : 200 nm claimed by most but can vary exclusive economic zone: 200 nm claimed by most but can vary territorial sea: 12 nm claimed by most but can vary note: boundary situations with neighboring states prevent many countries from extending their fishing or economic zones to a full 200 nm; 43 nations and other areas that are landlocked include Afghanistan, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, Czech Republic, Ethiopia, Holy See (Vatican City), Hungary, Kazakstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malawi, Mali, Moldova, Mongolia, Nepal, Niger, Paraguay, Rwanda, San Marino, Slovakia, Swaziland, Switzerland, Tajikistan, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Uzbekistan, West Bank, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Climate: two large areas of polar climates separated by two rather narrow temperate zones from a wide equatorial band of tropical to subtropical climates
Terrain: the greatest ocean depth is the Marianas Trench at 10,924 m in the Pacific Ocean
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m highest point: Mount Everest 8,848 m
Natural resources: the rapid using up of nonrenewable mineral resources, the depletion of forest areas and wetlands, the extinction of animal and plant species, and the deterioration in air and water quality (especially in Eastern Europe and the former USSR) pose serious long-term problems that governments and peoples are only beginning to address
Land use: arable land: 10% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 26% forests and woodland: 32% other: 31% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 2,481,250 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: large areas subject to severe weather (tropical cyclones), natural disasters (earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions)
Environment - current issues: large areas subject to overpopulation, industrial disasters, pollution (air, water, acid rain, toxic substances), loss of vegetation (overgrazing, deforestation, desertification), loss of wildlife, soil degradation, soil depletion, erosion
Environment - international agreements: selected international environmental agreements are included under the Environment - international agreements entry for each country and in the Selected International Environmental Agreements appendix
@World:People
Population: 5,849,699,041 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 31% (male 922,447,462; female 877,221,909) 15-64 years: 63% (male 1,856,697,495; female 1,808,219,116) 65 years and over: 6% (male 166,513,212; female 218,599,847)
Population growth rate: 1.4% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 23 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 9 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 59 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 63 years male: 61 years female: 64 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.9 children born/woman (1997 est.)
@World:Government
Data code: none; there is no FIPS 10-4 country code for the World, so the Factbook uses the "W" data code from DIAM 65-18 "Geopolitical Data Elements and Related Features," Data Standard No. 3, March 1984, published by the Defense Intelligence Agency; see the Cross-Reference List of Country Data Codes appendix
Administrative divisions: 266 nations, dependent areas, other, and miscellaneous entries
Legal system: varies by individual country; 186 (not including Yugoslavia) are parties to the UN International Court of Justice (ICJ or World Court)
Economy
Economy - overview: Real global output - gross world product (GWP) - rose an estimated 3.6% in 1996, with the newly industrializing Third World countries again setting the pace. And once more, results varied widely among regions and countries. Average growth of 2.3% in the GDP of industrialized countries (55% of GWP in 1996) and average growth of 6.5% in the GDP of less developed countries (39% of GWP) were partly offset by a 2% drop in the GDP of the former USSR/Eastern Europe area (only 6% of GWP). With the notable exception of Japan at 3%, unemployment was typically 6%-12% in the industrial world. The US accounted for 21% of GWP in 1996; Western Europe accounted for 20%; and Japan accounted for 8%. These are the three "economic superpowers" presumably destined to compete for mastery in international markets on into the 21st century. As for the less developed countries: China, India, and the Four Dragons - South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore - once again posted records of 5% growth or better; however, many other countries, especially in Africa, continued to suffer from drought, rapid population growth, inflation, and civil strife. Central Europe and the 15 successor states to the USSR generally made progress in moving toward "market-friendly" economies, but output in Russia and Ukraine continued to fall. Externally, the nation-state, as a bedrock economic-political institution, is steadily losing control over international flows of people, goods, funds, and technology. Internally, the central government in a number of cases is losing control over resources as separatist regional movements - typically based on ethnicity - gain momentum, e.g., in the successor states of the former Soviet Union, in the former Yugoslavia, in India, and in Canada. In Western Europe, governments face the difficult political problem of channeling resources away from welfare programs in order to increase investment and strengthen incentives to seek employment. The addition of nearly 100 million people each year to an already overcrowded globe is exacerbating the problems of pollution, desertification, underemployment, epidemics, and famine. Because of their own internal problems, the industrialized countries have inadequate resources to deal effectively with the poorer areas of the world, which, at least from the economic point of view, are becoming further marginalized. (For specific economic developments in each country, see the individual country entries.)
GDP: GWP (gross world product) - purchasing power parity - $35.8 trillion (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 3.6% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $6,200 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture : NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Inflation rate - consumer price index: all countries 25%; developed countries 2% to 4% typically; developing countries 10% to 60% typically (1996 est.) note: national inflation rates vary widely in individual cases, from stable prices in Japan to hyperinflation in a number of Third World countries
Labor force: total : 2.24 billion (1992) by occupation: NA
Unemployment rate: 30% combined unemployment and underemployment in many non-industrialized countries; developed countries typically 6%-12% unemployment (1996 est.)
Industries: dominated by the onrush of technology, especially in computers, robotics, telecommunications, and medicines and medical equipment; most of these advances take place in OECD nations; only a small portion of non-OECD countries have succeeded in rapidly adjusting to these technological forces; the accelerated development of new industrial (and agricultural) technology is complicating already grim environmental problems
Industrial production growth rate: 5% (1996 est.)
Electricity - capacity: 4 billion kW (1994)
Electricity - production: 12.34268 trillion kWh (1994)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 1,996 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture - products: the whole gamut of crops, livestock, forest products, and fish
Exports: total value: $4.6 trillion (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities : the whole range of industrial and agricultural goods and services partners: in value, about 75% of exports from the developed countries
Imports: total value : $4.7 trillion (c.i.f., 1996 est.) commodities: the whole range of industrial and agricultural goods and services partners: in value, about 75% of imports by the developed countries
Debt - external: $2 trillion for less developed countries (1996 est.)
Economic aid: worldwide traditional foreign aid $50 billion (1995 est.)
@World:Communications
Telephones: NA
Telephone system: domestic : NA international: NA
Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: NA
Televisions: NA
@World:Transportation
Railways: total : 1,201,337 km includes about 190,000 to 195,000 km of electrified routes of which 147,760 km are in Europe, 24,509 km in the Far East, 11,050 km in Africa, 4,223 km in South America, and 4,160 km in North America; note - fastest speed in daily service is 300 km/hr attained by France's Societe Nationale des Chemins-de-Fer Francais (SNCF) Le Train a Grande Vitesse (TGV) - Atlantique line broad gauge: 251,153 km standard gauge: 710,754 km narrow gauge: 239,430 km
Highways: total: NA km paved: NA km unpaved : NA km
Ports and harbors: Chiba, Houston, Kawasaki, Kobe, Marseille, Mina' al Ahmadi (Kuwait), New Orleans, New York, Rotterdam, Yokohama
Merchant marine: total: 25,521 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 442,276,527 GRT/701,647,274 DWT ships by type: barge carrier 22, bulk 5,308, cargo 8,089, chemical tanker 920, combination bulk 307, combination ore/oil 279, container 1,938, liquefied gas tanker 709, livestock carrier 52, multifunction large-load carrier 62, oil tanker 4,320, passenger 298, passenger-cargo 117, railcar carrier 21, refrigerated cargo 1,022, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1,034, short-sea passenger 484, specialized tanker 81, vehicle carrier 458 (1995 est.)
Military
Military branches: ground, maritime, and air forces at all levels of technology
Military expenditures - dollar figure: aggregate real expenditure on arms worldwide in 1996 remained at about the 1995 level, about three-quarters of a trillion dollars in money terms (1996 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: roughly 2% of gross world product (1996 est.)
YEMEN
@Yemen:Geography
Location: Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Red Sea, between Oman and Saudi Arabia
Geographic coordinates: 15 00 N, 48 00 E
Map references: Middle East
Area: total: 527,970 sq km land: 527,970 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Perim, Socotra, the former Yemen Arab Republic (YAR or North Yemen), and the former People's Democratic Republic of Yemen (PDRY or South Yemen)
Area - comparative: slightly larger than twice the size of Wyoming
Land boundaries: total: 1,746 km border countries: Oman 288 km, Saudi Arabia 1,458 km
Coastline: 1,906 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 18 nm in the North; 24 nm in the South continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: mostly desert; hot and humid along west coast; temperate in western mountains affected by seasonal monsoon; extraordinarily hot, dry, harsh desert in east
Terrain: narrow coastal plain backed by flat-topped hills and rugged mountains; dissected upland desert plains in center slope into the desert interior of the Arabian Peninsula
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m highest point: Jabal an Nabi Shu'ayb 3,760 m
Natural resources: petroleum, fish, rock salt, marble, small deposits of coal, gold, lead, nickel, and copper, fertile soil in west
Land use: arable land : 3% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 30% forests and woodland: 4% other : 63% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 3,600 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: sandstorms and dust storms in summer
Environment - current issues: very limited natural fresh water resources; inadequate supplies of potable water; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
Environment - international agreements: party to : Biodiversity, Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: controls Bab el Mandeb, the strait linking the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, one of world's most active shipping lanes
@Yemen:People
Population: 13,972,477 (July 1997 est.) note: other estimates range as high as 16.6 million
Age structure: 0-14 years: 48% (male 3,421,216; female 3,237,594) 15-64 years : 49% (male 3,454,912; female 3,479,395) 65 years and over: 3% (male 162,600; female 216,760) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 3.57% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 44.83 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 9.17 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years : 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 68.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 60.31 years male : 58.9 years female: 61.78 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 7.18 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun: Yemeni(s) adjective: Yemeni
Ethnic groups: predominantly Arab; Afro-Arab concentrations in western coastal locations; South Asians in southern regions; small European communities in major metropolitan areas
Religions: Muslim including Sha'fi (Sunni) and Zaydi (Shi'a), small numbers of Jewish, Christian, and Hindu
Languages: Arabic
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 38% male: 53% female: 26% (1990 est.)
@Yemen:Government
Country name: conventional long form : Republic of Yemen conventional short form: Yemen local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Yamaniyah local short form: Al Yaman
Data code: YM
Government type: republic
National capital: Sanaa
Administrative divisions: 17 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Abyan, Aden, Al Bayda, Al Hudaydah, Al Jawf, Al Mahrah, Al Mahwit, Ataq, Dhamar, Hadhramaut, Hajjah, Ibb, Lahij, Ma'rib, Sa'dah, San'a', Ta'izz note: there may be a new governorate for the capital city of Sanaa
Independence: 22 May 1990 Republic of Yemen was established on 22 May 1990 with the merger of the Yemen Arab Republic {Yemen (Sanaa) or North Yemen} and the Marxist-dominated People's Democratic Republic of Yemen {Yemen (Aden) or South Yemen}; previously North Yemen had become independent on NA November 1918 (from the Ottoman Empire) and South Yemen had become independent on 30 November 1967 (from the UK)
National holiday: Proclamation of the Republic, 22 May (1990)
Constitution: 16 May 1991; amended 29 September 1994
Legal system: based on Islamic law, Turkish law, English common law, and local tribal customary law; does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Ali Abdallah SALIH (since 22 May 1990, the former president of North Yemen, assumed office upon the merger of North and South Yemen); Vice President Maj. Gen. Abd al-Rab Mansur al-HADI (since NA October 1994) head of government: Prime Minister Abd al-Aziz ABD AL-GHANI (since NA October 1994); Deputy Prime Ministers Abd al-Wahhab al-ANISI (since NA October 1994), Dr. Abd al-Karim Ali al-IRYANI (since NA October 1994), Dr. Muhammad Said al-ATTAR (since NA October 1994), and Abd al-Qadir al-BA JAMAL (since NA October 1994) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister elections : president elected by the House of Representatives for a five-year term; election last held 1 October 1994 (next to be held NA 1999); vice president appointed by the president; prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president election results: Ali Abdallah SALIH elected president; percent of House of Representatives vote - NA
Legislative branch: unicameral House of Representatives (301 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 27 April 1997 (next to be held NA April 2001) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - GPC 189, Islaah 52, Nasserite Unionist Party 3, Baath Party 2, independents 54, election pending 1
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: there are over 12 political parties active in Yemen, some of the more important are: General People's Congress (GPC), President Ali Abdallah SALIH; Yemeni Reform Grouping or Islaah, Shaykh Abdallah bin Husayn al-AHMAR; Yemeni Socialist Party (YSP), Ali Salih UBAYD; Nasserite Unionist Party, leader NA; Baath Party, leader NA note: following the May-July 1994 civil war, President SALIH's General People's Congress and Shaykh Abdallah bin Husayn al-AHMAR's Yemeni Reform Grouping, or Islaah, formed a coalition government, but it is unclear whether this coalition will continue in light of the GPC's landslide victory in the April 1997 legislative election; the YSP, a loyal opposition party, boycotted the April 1997 legislative election
Political pressure groups and leaders: NA
International organization participation: ACC, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant) chancery : Suite 705, 2600 Virginia Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 965-4760, 4761 FAX: [1] (202) 337-2017
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador David G. NEWTON embassy: Dhahr Himyar Zone, Sheraton Hotel District, Sanaa mailing address : P. O. Box 22347, Sanaa telephone: [967] (1) 238843 through 238852 FAX: [967] (1) 251563
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black; similar to the flag of Syria which has two green stars and of Iraq which has three green stars (plus an Arabic inscription) in a horizontal line centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of Egypt which has a symbolic eagle centered in the white band
Economy
Economy - overview: The northern city Sanaa is the political capital of a united Yemen, and the southern city Aden, with its refinery and port facilities, is the economic and commercial capital. Future economic development depends heavily on Western-assisted development of the country's moderate oil resources. Former South Yemen's willingness to merge stemmed partly from the steady decline in Soviet economic support. The low level of domestic industry and agriculture has made northern Yemen dependent on imports for practically all of its essential needs. Once self-sufficient in food production, northern Yemen has become a major importer. Land once used for export crops - cotton, fruit, and vegetables - has been turned over to growing a shrub called qat, whose leaves are chewed for their stimulant effect by Yemenis and which has no significant export market. Economic growth in former South Yemen has been constrained by a lack of incentives, partly stemming from centralized control over production decisions, investment allocation, and import choices. Yemen's GDP has been supplemented by remittances from Yemenis working abroad and by foreign aid. Since the Gulf crisis, however, remittances have dropped substantially. Floods in June 1996 caused the loss of much valuable topsoil in the agricultural sector, increasing the need for imports of foodstuffs. Oil production and GDP as a whole are expected to increase moderately in 1997.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $39.1 billion (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 2.8% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,900 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 14% industry: 35% services : 51%
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 85% (1996 est.)
Labor force: no reliable estimates exist, most people are employed in agriculture and herding or as expatriate laborers; services, construction, industry, and commerce account for less than one-half of the labor force
Unemployment rate: 30% (1995 est.)
Budget: revenues: $3 billion expenditures: $3.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1996 est.)
Industries: crude oil production and petroleum refining; small-scale production of cotton textiles and leather goods; food processing; handicrafts; small aluminum products factory; cement
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - capacity: 810,000 kW (1994)
Electricity - production: 1.84 billion kWh (1994)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 117 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture - products: grain, fruits, vegetables, qat (mildly narcotic shrub), coffee, cotton; dairy products, poultry, meat; fish
Exports: total value: $2.5 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities : crude oil, cotton, coffee, hides, vegetables, dried and salted fish partners: China 23%, South Korea 19%, Japan 12%, Singapore 10%, Brazil 9%, Thailand 7% (1995)
Imports: total value: $2.2 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: textiles and other manufactured consumer goods, petroleum products, sugar, grain, flour, other foodstuffs, cement, machinery, chemicals partners: UAE 14%, Saudi Arabia 10%, US 8%, Malaysia 6%, UK 5% (1995)
Debt - external: $8 billion (1996)
Economic aid: recipient : ODA, $148 million (1993)
Currency: Yemeni rial (YRl) (new currency)
Exchange rates: Yemeni rials (YRl) per US$1 - 50.04 (new official fixed rate), 40.839 (1995), 12.010 (official fixed rate 1992-94); 490 (market rate, December 1994) note : on 29 March 1995 the official rate was changed from 12.01 Yemeni rials to 50.04 Yemeni rials per US dollar
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Yemen:Communications
Telephones: 131,655 (1992 est.)
Telephone system: since unification in 1990, efforts have been made to create a national telecommunications network domestic: the network consists of microwave radio relay, cable, and tropospheric scatter international : satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean), 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region), and 2 Arabsat; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia and Djibouti
Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 1, shortwave 0
Radios: 325,000 (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 10
Televisions: 100,000 (1993 est.)
@Yemen:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 51,392 km paved : 4,831 km unpaved: 46,561 km (1992 est.)
Pipelines: crude oil 644 km; petroleum products 32 km
Ports and harbors: Aden, Al Hudaydah, Al Mukalla, Mocha, Nishtun
Merchant marine: total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 12,059 GRT/18,563 DWT ships by type : cargo 1, oil tanker 2 (1996 est.)
Airports: 42 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 12 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 3 (1996 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 30 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m : 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m : 10 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary (includes Police)
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49 : 3,109,553 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males: 1,753,779 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 148,864 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: a large section of boundary with Saudi Arabia is not defined; a dispute with Eritrea over sovereignty of the Hanish Islands in the southern Red Sea has been submitted to arbitration under the auspices of the International Court of Justice
ZAMBIA
@Zambia:Geography
Location: Southern Africa, east of Angola
Geographic coordinates: 15 00 S, 30 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 752,610 sq km land: 740,720 sq km water: 11,890 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly larger than Texas
Land boundaries: total: 5,664 km border countries: Angola 1,110 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 1,930 km, Malawi 837 km, Mozambique 419 km, Namibia 233 km, Tanzania 338 km, Zimbabwe 797 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: tropical; modified by altitude; rainy season (October to April)
Terrain: mostly high plateau with some hills and mountains
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Zambezi river 329 m highest point: in Mafinga Hills 2,301 m
Natural resources: copper, cobalt, zinc, lead, coal, emeralds, gold, silver, uranium, hydropower potential
Land use: arable land: 7% permanent crops : 0% permanent pastures: 40% forests and woodland: 39% other: 14% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 460 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: tropical storms (November to April)
Environment - current issues: air pollution and resulting acid rain in the mineral extraction and refining region; poaching seriously threatens rhinoceros and elephant populations; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; lack of adequate water treatment presents human health risks
Environment - international agreements: party to : Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: landlocked
@Zambia:People
Population: 9,349,975 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 49% (male 2,315,739; female 2,286,829) 15-64 years: 48% (male 2,212,021; female 2,301,354) 65 years and over : 3% (male 112,134; female 121,898) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.02% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 44.37 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 24.18 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth : 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 96.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 35.58 years male : 35.58 years female: 35.59 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 6.48 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun: Zambian(s) adjective: Zambian
Ethnic groups: African 98.7%, European 1.1%, other 0.2%
Religions: Christian 50%-75%, Muslim and Hindu 24%-49%, indigenous beliefs 1%
Languages: English (official), major vernaculars - Bemba, Kaonda, Lozi, Lunda, Luvale, Nyanja, Tonga, and about 70 other indigenous languages
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write in English total population: 78.2% male: 85.6% female: 71.3% (1995 est.)
@Zambia:Government
Country name: conventional long form : Republic of Zambia conventional short form: Zambia former: Northern Rhodesia
Data code: ZA
Government type: republic
National capital: Lusaka
Administrative divisions: 9 provinces; Central, Copperbelt, Eastern, Luapula, Lusaka, Northern, North-Western, Southern, Western
Independence: 24 October 1964 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 24 October (1964)
Constitution: 2 August 1991
Legal system: based on English common law and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in an ad hoc constitutional council; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Frederick CHILUBA (since 31 October 1991); Vice President General Godfrey MIYANDA (since NA August 1994); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Frederick CHILUBA (since 31 October 1991); Vice President General Godfrey MIYANDA (since NA August 1994); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members of the National Assembly elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 18 November 1996 (next to be held October 2001); vice president appointed by the president election results: Frederick CHILUBA elected president; percent of vote - Frederick CHILUBA 70%, Dean MUNGO'MBA 12%, Humphrey MULEMBA 6%, Akashambatwa LEWANIKA 4%, Chama CHAKOMBOKA 3%, others 5%
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (150 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 18 November 1996 (next to be held October 2001) election results : percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MMD 130, NP 5, ZDC 2, AZ 2, independents 11
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, justices are appointed by the president
Political parties and leaders: Agenda for Zambia or AZ [Akashambatwa LEWANIKA]; Labor Party or LP [Chibiza MFUNI]; Liberal Progressive Front or LPF [Roger CHONGWE, president]; Movement for Democratic Process or MDP [Chama CHAKOM BOKA]; Movement for Multiparty Democracy or MMD [Frederick CHILUBA]; National Lima Party or NLP [Guy SCOTT and Ben KAPITA]; National Party or NP [Humphrey MULEMBIA]; United National Independence Party or UNIP [Kenneth KAUNDA]; Zambia Democratic Congress or ZADACO [Dean MUNG'OMBA]
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-19, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, NAM, OAU, SADC, UN, UNAVEM III, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Dunstan Weston KAMANA chancery: 2419 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-9717 through 9719 FAX : [1] (202) 332-0826
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Arlene RENDER embassy: corner of Independence Avenue and United Nations Avenue, Lusaka mailing address: P. O. Box 31617, Lusaka telephone: [260] (1) 250-955, 252-230 FAX: [260] (1) 252-225
Flag description: green with a panel of three vertical bands of red (hoist side), black, and orange below a soaring orange eagle, on the outer edge of the flag
Economy
Economy - overview: Despite progress in privatization and budgetary reform, Zambia's economy has a long way to go. Inflation, while slowing somewhat, continues to be a major concern to the CHILUBA government. Zambia's copper mining sector, which accounts for over 80% of the nation's foreign currency intake, is struggling. Production rates are down as are world copper prices. Aid cuts by Zambia's donors, arising out of concern for the November 1996 flawed election, will severely damage Zambia's economic prospects. Urged by the World Bank, Zambia has embarked on a privatization program which is to include the all-important copper industry.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $9.7 billion (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 6.4% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,060 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 32% industry : 33% services: 35% (1994 est.)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 34% (1995 est.)
Labor force: total: 3.4 million by occupation: agriculture 85%, mining, manufacturing, and construction 6%, transport and services 9%
Unemployment rate: 22% (1991)
Budget: revenues: $888 million expenditures: $835 million, including capital expenditures of $110 million (1995 est.)
Industries: copper mining and processing, construction, foodstuffs, beverages, chemicals, textiles, fertilizer
Industrial production growth rate: -1% (1992)
Electricity - capacity: 2.44 million kW (1994)
Electricity - production: 7.78 billion kWh (1994)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 610 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture - products: corn, sorghum, rice, peanuts, sunflower seed, tobacco, cotton, sugarcane, cassava (tapioca); cattle, goats, pigs, poultry, beef, pork, poultry meat, milk, eggs, hides
Exports: total value : $975 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: copper, zinc, cobalt, lead, tobacco partners: EU countries, Japan, South Africa, US, Saudi Arabia, India, Thailand, Malaysia
Imports: total value: $990 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: machinery, transportation equipment, foodstuffs, fuels, petroleum products, electricity, miscellaneous manufactured goods partners: South Africa, EU countries, Japan, Saudi Arabia, US
Debt - external: $7.2 billion (1996 est.)
Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $734 million (1993)
Currency: 1 Zambian kwacha (ZK) = 100 ngwee
Exchange rates: Zambian kwacha (ZK) per US$1 - 1,250 (January 1997), 1,250 (1996), 833.33 (1995), 769.23 (1994), 434.78 (1993), 156.25 (1992)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Zambia:Communications
Telephones: 80,900 (1987 est.)
Telephone system: facilities are among the best in Sub-Saharan Africa domestic : high-capacity microwave radio relay connects most larger towns and cities international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 11, FM 5, shortwave 0
Radios: 1,889,140
Television broadcast stations: 9
Televisions: 215,000 (1995 est.)
@Zambia:Transportation
Railways: total: 2,164 km (1995) narrow gauge: 2,164 km 1.067-m gauge (13 km double track) note: the total includes 891 km of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA), which operates 1,860 km of 1.067-m narrow gauge track between Dar es Salaam and New Kapiri Mposhi where it connects to the Zambia Railways system; TAZARA is not a part of Zambia Railways
Highways: total: 37,359 km paved: 6,575 km (including 56 km of expressways) unpaved: 30,784 km (1993 est.)
Waterways: 2,250 km, including Zambezi and Luapula rivers, Lake Tanganyika
Pipelines: crude oil 1,724 km
Ports and harbors: Mpulungu
Airports: 103 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 42 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m : 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 32 (1996 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 61 2,438 to 3,047 m : 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 56 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Air Force, paramilitary forces, Police
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,990,403 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males: 1,051,227 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $96 million (1995)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.7% (1995)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: quadripoint with Botswana, Namibia, and Zimbabwe is in disagreement; Democratic Republic of the Congo-Tanzania-Zambia tripoint in Lake Tanganyika may no longer be indefinite since it has been informally reported that the indefinite section of the Democratic Republic of the Congo-Zambia boundary has been settled
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for methaqualone, heroin, and cocaine bound for Southern Africa and Europe; regional money-laundering center
ZIMBABWE
@Zimbabwe:Geography
Location: Southern Africa, northeast of Botswana
Geographic coordinates: 20 00 S, 30 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total : 390,580 sq km land: 386,670 sq km water: 3,910 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly larger than Montana
Land boundaries: total: 3,066 km border countries: Botswana 813 km, Mozambique 1,231 km, South Africa 225 km, Zambia 797 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: tropical; moderated by altitude; rainy season (November to March)
Terrain: mostly high plateau with higher central plateau (high veld); mountains in east
Elevation extremes: lowest point: junction of the Lundi and Savi rivers 162 m highest point: Inyangani 2,592 m
Natural resources: coal, chromium ore, asbestos, gold, nickel, copper, iron ore, vanadium, lithium, tin, platinum group metals
Land use: arable land : 7% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 13% forests and woodland: 23% other: 57% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 1,930 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: recurring droughts; floods and severe storms are rare
Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; land degradation; air and water pollution; the black rhinoceros herd - once the largest concentration of the species in the world - has been significantly reduced by poaching
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Desertification
Geography - note: landlocked
@Zimbabwe:People
Population: 11,423,175 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 43% (male 2,507,219; female 2,471,357) 15-64 years: 54% (male 3,020,632; female 3,106,729) 65 years and over : 3% (male 154,231; female 163,007) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.26% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 31.65 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 19.02 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: NA migrant(s)/1,000 population note: there is a small but steady flow of Zimbabweans into South Africa in search of better paid employment
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over : 0.95 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 72.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 40.84 years male: 40.85 years female : 40.83 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.94 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun : Zimbabwean(s) adjective: Zimbabwean
Ethnic groups: African 98% (Shona 71%, Ndebele 16%, other 11%), white 1%, mixed and Asian 1%
Religions: syncretic (part Christian, part indigenous beliefs) 50%, Christian 25%, indigenous beliefs 24%, Muslim and other 1%
Languages: English (official), Shona, Sindebele (the language of the Ndebele, sometimes called Ndebele), numerous but minor tribal dialects
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write in English total population: 85% male: 90% female: 80% (1995 est.)
@Zimbabwe:Government
Country name: conventional long form : Republic of Zimbabwe conventional short form: Zimbabwe former: Southern Rhodesia
Data code: ZI
Government type: parliamentary democracy
National capital: Harare
Administrative divisions: 8 provinces and 2 cities* with provincial status; Bulawayo*, Harare*, Manicaland, Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West, Masvingo (Victoria), Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South, Midlands
Independence: 18 April 1980 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 18 April (1980)
Constitution: 21 December 1979
Legal system: mixture of Roman-Dutch and English common law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE (since 31 December 1987); Co-Vice Presidents Simon Vengai MUZENDA (since 31 December 1987) and Joshua M. NKOMO (since 6 August 1990); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government : Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE (since 31 December 1987); Co-Vice Presidents Simon Vengai MUZENDA (since 31 December 1987) and Joshua M. NKOMO (since 6 August 1990); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet : Cabinet appointed by the president; responsible to the House of Assembly elections: president nominated by the House of Assembly for a six-year term (if more than one nomination, an electoral college consisting of members of the House of Assembly elects the president); election last held 26-27 March 1996 (next to be held NA March 2002); co-vice presidents appointed by the president election results: Robert Gabriel MUGABE elected president; percent of electoral college vote - Robert Gabriel MUGABE 92.7%, Abel MUZOREWA 4.8%; Ndabaningi SITHOLE 2.4%
Legislative branch: unicameral parliament, called House of Assembly (150 seats, 120 of which are directly elected by popular vote for six-year terms; of the other 30 seats, 12 are nominated by the president, 10 are occupied by traditional chiefs chosen by their peers, and 8 by provincial governors) elections: last held 8-9 April 1995 (next to be held NA April 2001) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ZANU-PF 117, ZANU-Ndonga 2, independent 1
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front or ZANU-PF [Robert MUGABE]; Zimbabwe African National Union-NDONGA or ZANU-NDONGA [Ndabaningi SITHOLE]; Zimbabwe Unity Movement or ZUM [Edgar TEKERE]; Democratic Party or DP [Emmanuel MAGOCHE]; Forum Party of Zimbabwe [Enock DUMBUTSHENA]; United Parties [Abel MUZOREWA]
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU, PCA, SADC, UN, UNAVEM III, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Amos Bernard Muvengwa MIDZI chancery: 1608 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 332-7100 FAX : [1] (202) 483-9326
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Johnnie CARSON embassy: 172 Herbert Chitepo Avenue, Harare mailing address: P. O. Box 3340, Harare telephone : [263] (4) 794521 FAX: [263] (4) 796488
Flag description: seven equal horizontal bands of green, yellow, red, black, red, yellow, and green with a white equilateral triangle edged in black based on the hoist side; a yellow Zimbabwe bird is superimposed on a red five-pointed star in the center of the triangle
Economy
Economy - overview: Agriculture employs 70% of the labor force of this landlocked nation and supplies almost 40% of exports. Mining accounts for only 5% of both GDP and employment, but minerals and metals account for about 40% of exports. Severe drought caused GDP to drop 8% in 1992, with growth rebounding to 2% in 1993 and 4.5% in 1994, only to drop by 2.4% in 1995. The government is continuing to push its IMF/World Bank structural adjustment program aimed at encouraging exports and foreign investment. Officials face the difficult task of restraining expenditures in their effort to keep inflation within bounds.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $26.4 billion (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 5.5% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,340 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 18.3% industry: 35.3% services: 46.4% (1993 est.)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 21.7% (1996 est.)
Labor force: total: 4.228 million (1993 est.) by occupation: agriculture 70%, transport and services 22%, industry 8%
Unemployment rate: at least 45% (1994 est.)
Budget: revenues: $2.5 billion expenditures : $2.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $29 million (FY96/97 est.)
Industries: mining (coal, clay, numerous metallic and nonmetallic ores), copper, steel, nickel, tin, wood products, cement, chemicals, fertilizer, clothing and footwear, foodstuffs, beverages
Industrial production growth rate: 10% (1994)
Electricity - capacity: 2.15 million kW (1994)
Electricity - production: 7.33 billion kWh (1994)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 747 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture - products: corn, cotton, tobacco, wheat, coffee, sugarcane, peanuts; cattle, sheep, goats, pigs
Exports: total value: $2.4 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: agricultural 47% (tobacco 31%), manufactures 27%, gold 12%, textiles 8%, ferrochrome 6% (1994 est.) partners: South Africa 14%, UK 10%, Germany 8%, Japan 8%, (1995 est.)
Imports: total value: $2.2 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: machinery and transportation equipment 41%, other manufactures 16%, chemicals 16%, fuels 10% (1994 est.) partners: South Africa 41%, UK 7%, US 6%, Japan 6% (1995 est.)
Debt - external: $4.4 billion (1994)
Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $362 million (1993)
Currency: 1 Zimbabwean dollar (Z$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Zimbabwean dollars (Z$) per US$1 - 10.8696 (January 1997), 9.9206 (1996), 8.6580 (1995), 8.1500 (1994), 6.4725 (1993), 5.0942 (1992)
Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June
@Zimbabwe:Communications
Telephones: 301,000 (1990 est.)
Telephone system: system was once one of the best in Africa, but now suffers from poor maintenance domestic: consists of microwave radio relay links, open-wire lines, and radiotelephone communication stations international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 8, FM 18, shortwave 0
Radios: 890,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 8 (1986 est.)
Televisions: 280,000 (1992 est.)
@Zimbabwe:Transportation
Railways: total : 2,759 km (1995) narrow gauge: 2,759 km 1.067-m gauge (313 km electrified; 42 km double track) (1995 est.)
Highways: total: 91,099 km paved: 15,486 km unpaved : 75,613 km (1993 est.)
Waterways: the Mazoe and Zambezi rivers are used for transporting chrome ore from Harare to Mozambique
Pipelines: petroleum products 212 km
Ports and harbors: Binga, Kariba
Airports: 402 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 203 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m : 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 184 (1996 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total : 199 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 198 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: Zimbabwe National Army, Air Force of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Republic Police (includes Police Support Unit, Paramilitary Police)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 2,717,032 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males : 1,687,536 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $236 million (FY95/96)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 3.4% (FY95/96)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: quadripoint with Botswana, Namibia, and Zambia is in disagreement
Illicit drugs: significant transit point for African cannabis and South Asian heroin, mandrax, and methamphetamines destined for the South African and European markets
TAIWAN
@Taiwan:Geography
Location: Eastern Asia, islands bordering the East China Sea, Philippine Sea, South China Sea, and Taiwan Strait, north of the Philippines, off the southeastern coast of China
Geographic coordinates: 23 30 N, 121 00 E
Map references: Southeast Asia
Area: total: 35,980 sq km land : 32,260 sq km water: 3,720 sq km note: includes the Pescadores, Matsu, and Quemoy
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland and Delaware combined
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 1,448 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; marine; rainy season during southwest monsoon (June to August); cloudiness is persistent and extensive all year
Terrain: eastern two-thirds mostly rugged mountains; flat to gently rolling plains in west
Elevation extremes: lowest point : South China Sea 0 m highest point: Yu Shan 3,997 m
Natural resources: small deposits of coal, natural gas, limestone, marble, and asbestos
Land use: arable land : 24% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 5% forests and woodland: 55% other : 15%
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: earthquakes and typhoons
Environment - current issues: water pollution from industrial emissions, raw sewage; air pollution; contamination of drinking water supplies; trade in endangered species; low-level radioactive waste disposal
Environment - international agreements: party to: none of the selected agreements signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation
@Taiwan:People
Population: 21,699,776 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years : 23% (male 2,576,022; female 2,399,926) 15-64 years: 69% (male 7,630,512; female 7,363,155) 65 years and over: 8% (male 937,206; female 792,955) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.95% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 14.97 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 5.45 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth : 1.08 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.18 male(s)/female total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 7 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77.04 years male: 73.81 years female: 80.52 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.77 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality: noun : Chinese (singular and plural) adjective: Chinese
Ethnic groups: Taiwanese 84%, mainland Chinese 14%, aborigine 2%
Religions: mixture of Buddhist, Confucian, and Taoist 93%, Christian 4.5%, other 2.5%
Languages: Mandarin Chinese (official), Taiwanese (Min), Hakka dialects
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 86% male: 93% female: 79% (1980 est.)
@Taiwan:Government
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Taiwan local long form: none local short form: T'ai-wan
Data code: TW
Government type: multiparty democratic regime headed by popularly elected president
National capital: Taipei
Administrative divisions: since in the past the authorities claimed to be the government of all China, the central administrative divisions include the provinces of Fu-chien (some 20 offshore islands of Fujian Province including Quemoy and Matsu) and Taiwan (the island of Taiwan and the Pescadores islands); note - the more commonly referenced administrative divisions are those of Taiwan Province - 16 counties (hsien, singular and plural), 5 municipalities* (shih, singular and plural), and 2 special municipalities** (chuan-shih, singular and plural); Chang-hua, Chia-i, Chia-i*, Chi-lung*, Hsin-chu, Hsin-chu*, Hua-lien, I-lan, Kao-hsiung, Kao-hsiung**, Miao-li, Nan-t'ou, P'eng-hu, P'ing-tung, T'ai-chung, T'ai-chung*, T'ai-nan, T'ai-nan*, T'ai-pei, T'ai-pei**, T'ai-tung, T'ao-yuan, and Yun-lin; the provincial capital is at Chung-hsing-hsin-ts'un note: Taiwan uses the Wade-Giles system for romanization
National holiday: National Day, 10 October (1911) (Anniversary of the Revolution)
Constitution: 1 January 1947, amended in 1992, presently undergoing revision
Legal system: based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 20 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President LI Teng-hui (succeeded to the presidency following the death of President CHIANG Ching-kuo 13 January 1988, elected by the National Assembly 21 March 1990, elected by popular vote in the first-ever direct elections for president 23 March 1996); Vice President LIEN Chan (since 20 May 1996); note - LIEN Chan serves as both vice president and premier head of government: Premier (President of the Executive Yuan) LIEN Chan (since 23 February 1993) and Vice Premier (Vice President of the Executive Yuan) HSU Li-teh (since 23 February 1993); note - LIEN Chan serves as both vice president and premier cabinet: Executive Yuan appointed by the president elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 23 March 1996 (next to be held NA 2000); premier appointed by the president; vice premiers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the premier election results : LI Teng-hui elected president; percent of vote - LI Teng-hui 54%, PENG Ming-min 21%, LIN Yang-kang 15%, and CHEN Li-an 10%
Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Yuan (164 seats - 128 elected by popular vote, 36 indirectly elected on the basis of proportional representation; members serve three-year terms; note - national conference agreed to change the term to four years, pending ratification by the National Assembly) and unicameral National Assembly (334 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections : Legislative Yuan - last held 2 December 1995 (next to be held NA December 1998); National Assembly - last held 23 March 1996 (next to be held NA 2000) election results: Legislative Yuan - percent of vote by party - KMT 46%, DPP 33%, CNP 13%, independents 8%; seats by party - KMT 85, DPP 54, CNP 21, independents 4; note - since the election, there has been a change in the distribution of seats, the new distribution is as follows - KMT 83, DPP 54, CNP 21, independents 6; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - KMT 55%, DPP 30%, CNP 14%, other 1%; seats by party - KMT 183, DPP 99, CNP 46, other 6
Judicial branch: Judicial Yuan, justices appointed by the president with the consent of the National Assembly
Political parties and leaders: Kuomintang (KMT, Nationalist Party), LI Teng-hui, chairman; Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), HSU Hsin-Liang, chairman; Chinese New Party (CNP), CHEN Kuei-Miao; Labor Party (LP), leader NA; Taiwan Independence Party (TAIP), leader NA
Political pressure groups and leaders: Taiwan independence movement, various environmental groups note : debate on Taiwan independence has become acceptable within the mainstream of domestic politics on Taiwan; political liberalization and the increased representation of the opposition Democratic Progressive Party in Taiwan's legislature have opened public debate on the island's national identity; advocates of Taiwan independence, including within the DPP, oppose the ruling party's traditional stand that the island will eventually reunify with mainland China; goals of the Taiwan independence movement include establishing a sovereign nation on Taiwan and entering the UN; other organizations supporting Taiwan independence include the World United Formosans for Independence and the Organization for Taiwan Nation Building
International organization participation: APEC, AsDB, BCIE, ICC, IOC, WCL, WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representation in the US: none; unofficial commercial and cultural relations with the people of the US are maintained through a private instrumentality, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) with headquarters in Taipei and field offices in Washington and 12 other US cities
Diplomatic representation from the US: none; unofficial commercial and cultural relations with the people of Taiwan are maintained through a private institution, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), which has offices in Taipei at #7 Lane 134, Hsin Yi Road, Section 3, telephone [886] (2) 709-2000, FAX [886] (2) 702-7675, and in Kao-hsiung at #2 Chung Cheng 3d Road, telephone [886] (7) 224-0154 through 0157, FAX [886] (7) 223-8237, and the American Trade Center at Room 3207 International Trade Building, Taipei World Trade Center, 333 Keelung Road Section 1, Taipei 10548, telephone [886] (2) 720-1550, FAX [886] 757-7162
Flag description: red with a dark blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white sun with 12 triangular rays
Economy
Economy - overview: Taiwan has a dynamic capitalist economy with considerable guidance of investment and foreign trade by government officials and partial government ownership of some large banks and industrial firms. Real growth in GDP has averaged about 9% a year during the past three decades. Export growth has been even faster and has provided the impetus for industrialization. Inflation and unemployment are low. Agriculture contributes less than 4% to GDP, down from 35% in 1952. Traditional labor-intensive industries are steadily being moved off-shore and replaced with more capital- and technology-intensive industries. Taiwan has become a major investor in China, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Vietnam. The tightening of labor markets has led to an influx of foreign workers, both legal and illegal.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $315 billion (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 5.7% (1996)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $14,700 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture : 3.3% industry: 35.7% services: 61% (1996)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 3.1% (1996)
Labor force: total: 9.31 million by occupation: services 52%, industry 38%, agriculture 10% (1996 est.)
Unemployment rate: 2.6% (1996)
Budget: revenues: $57.6 billion expenditures: $79.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1996 est.)
Industries: electronics, textiles, chemicals, clothing, food processing, plywood, sugar milling, cement, shipbuilding, petroleum refining
Industrial production growth rate: 4.1% (1996)
Electricity - capacity: 21.87 million kW (1994)
Electricity - production: 117.16 billion kWh (1994)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 5,270 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture - products: rice, wheat, corn, soybeans, vegetables, fruit, tea; pigs, poultry, beef, milk; fish catch increasing, reached 1.4 million metric tons in 1988
Exports: total value: $116 billion (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: machinery and electrical equipment 46.3%, textile products 13.5%, basic metals and articles 8.8%, chemicals 6.7% (1996 est.) partners : US 27.6%, Hong Kong 21.7%, EU countries 15.2%, Japan 10.5% (1994 est.)
Imports: total value: $102.4 billion (c.i.f., 1996) commodities: machinery and electrical equipment 35.5%, chemicals 10.9%, basic metals and articles 10.3%, minerals 9.2% (1996 est.) partners: Japan 30.1%, US 21.7%, EU countries 17.6% (1993 est.)
Debt - external: $600 million (1995 est.)
Economic aid: $NA
Currency: 1 New Taiwan dollar (NT$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: New Taiwan dollars per US$1 - 27.5 (1996), 27.4 (1995), 26.2 (1994), 26.6 (1993), 25.4 (1992)
Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June
@Taiwan:Communications
Telephones: 9,391,304 (1996 est.)
Telephone system: domestic: extensive microwave radio relay trunk system on east and west coasts international : satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); submarine cables to Japan (Okinawa), Philippines, Guam, Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Australia, Middle East, and Western Europe
Radio broadcast stations: AM 91, FM 23, shortwave 0
Radios: 8.62 million
Television broadcast stations: 15 (repeaters 13)
Televisions: 10.8 million (1996 est.)
@Taiwan:Transportation
Railways: total : 4,600 km (498 km electrified); note - 1,108 km belongs to the Taiwan Railway Administration and the remaining 3,492 km is dedicated to industrial use narrow gauge: 4,600 km 1.067-m
Highways: total : 19,584 km paved: 17,124 km (including 387 km of expressways) unpaved: 2,460 km
Pipelines: petroleum products 615 km; natural gas 97 km
Ports and harbors: Chi-lung (Keelung), Hua-lien, Kao-hsiung, Su-ao, T'ai-chung
Merchant marine: total: 200 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,872,739 GRT/8,965,523 DWT ships by type : bulk 50, cargo 29, combination bulk 3, combination ore/oil 1, container 85, oil tanker 19, refrigerated cargo 11, roll-on/roll-off cargo 2 (1996 est.)
Airports: 38 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 37 over 3,047 m: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 12 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m : 6 under 914 m: 7 (1996 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1996 est.)
Heliports: 1 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Navy (includes Marines), Air Force, Coastal Patrol and Defense Command, Armed Forces Reserve Command, Combined Service Forces
Military manpower - military age: 19 years of age
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 6,394,422 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males: 4,927,346 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 207,332 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $11.5 billion (FY96/97)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 3.6% (FY96/97)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: involved in complex dispute over the Spratly Islands with China, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei; Paracel Islands occupied by China, but claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan; Japanese-administered Senkaku-shoto (Senkaku Islands/Diaoyu Tai) claimed by China and Taiwan
Illicit drugs: considered an important heroin transit point; major problem with domestic consumption of methamphetamines and heroin
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